Hearts Get ‘Younger,’ Even At Middle Age, With Exercise
Very interesting/short report on how regular exercise (meaning at least 3 times a week) can turn the clock back on your heart to keep it healthy. The study was done at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.
The focus was on 4×4 interval training: 4 minutes of intense, push-as-much-as-you-can exercise, followed by a few minutes of a more resting/moderate exercise rate – both repeated 4 times. This takes about a half hour.
They found that “their hearts processed oxygen more efficiently and were notably less stiff. And the reason they got so much stronger and fitter was because their hearts could now fill a lot better and pump a lot more blood during exercise.” Participants noticed improvement in mental health, too.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/03/12/591513777/hearts-get-younger-even-at-middle-age-with-exercise?sc=tw
As early as your mid-40s, especially if you’re sedentary, your heart muscle can show signs of aging, losing its youthful elasticity and power. But moderately strenuous exercise can change that.